S2E12: Doomsday Part 1
by BeyondTheClouds777
Summary: ***SEQUEL TO "TEACH A SOLDIER TO FIGHT*** While celebrating Hiccup's twentieth birthday on Berk, he is challenged to a duel by a masked figure. When the identity as well as true intentions of the masked figure are revealed, Hiccup races back to Dragon's Edge, before the enemy gets there first.
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: RACE TO THE EDGE SPOILERS!**

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 **OKAY GUYS! :D So before we get into the story, I want to make it clear that I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT VIKING COMING OF AGE CEREMONIES OKAY JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE. XD Twenty seemed like a good time to "come of age" but I don't know, but don't judge! I tried to do research on it, but I couldn't find anything helpful...and besides, I think it's okay for this story...right...?**

 **Anyways, enjoy chapter 1! :D**

* * *

Hiccup knelt before Gothi at the front of the Great Hall one evening on Berk. Torches hung in brackets on either side of the walls supplied light to the hall, as did the candles on the rectangular tables and the chandeliers with torches hanging from the ceiling. What looked to be every Berkian on the island was inside, watching patiently.

A red cape was pulled over Hiccup's shoulders, and beneath his leather armor he wore a long-sleeved green tunic that threw off his eyes. His hair was even more dishevelled than usual, even though he had tried to straighten it for this occasion.

Gothi stepped forward and dipped her thumb into a small bowl of dusty charcoal. Hiccup shut his eyes for a moment, and Gothi smudged the charcoal on his forehead, forming the symbol of the Chief.

Hiccup lifted his head and looked up. Gothi smiled at him and tapped her staff against the wooden floorboards three times fast. Stoick stepped forward as Hiccup stood up, and the father put his arm around his son's shoulders.

"My son, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third," said Stoick, voice echoing throughout the Great Hall, "heir of Berk!"

The Great Hall then burst into cheers. Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins, standing at the front of the hall, clapped loudest of all. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were jumping upside down, clapping their hands over their heads, and Snotlout looked on, applauding beside Fishlegs. Astrid gave Hiccup two thumbs-up and kept clapping. Hiccup smiled at her more than anyone.

...

After the ceremony, Astrid, Fishlegs, and Snotlout found themselves wandering through the Great Hall. A few Berkians were dancing; others were telling jokes over mugs of Thor-knew-what. Astrid's hair was braided messily over her shoulder; she hadn't had the time to do her usual braid that afternoon before the ceremony.

"Hey, you guys! Over here!" Tuffnut's voice called, and Tuffnut waved his hands over his head to get their attention. Ruffnut and her brother were sitting at an otherwise empty table, and Astrid, Snotlout, and Fishlegs wasted no time in joining them. Snotlout sat on the bench beside Tuffnut, and Astrid and Fishlegs sat on the bench opposite.

"I still don't know why we had to come to this stupid ceremony," Snotlout moaned, taking his helmet off his head and ruffling his hair. "My dad actually made me brush my hair today! Can you believe that?"

"I know, right?" said Tuffnut. "Wait...no I don't. My dad told me to come as I always am. So I did."

"And so did I," said Ruffnut. "Except, I think I wore my browner tunic...did you guys notice?"

"No," said Snotlout. "You guys literally wear the same thing every time we see you."

"Hey," said Tuffnut, "resources are _scarce_ , bro."

"What- _ever!"_ said Snotlout, leaning back and putting his feet up on the table. "I still don't understand why this ceremony is so important. I mean, seriously!"

"Lay off, Snotlout," said Astrid. "If you were the son of the Chief, you'd get a coming of age ceremony, too."

"Jealousy is _not_ a good shade on you, Snotlout," said Tuffnut skeptically, shaking his head.

"Jealous!?" blurted Snotlout, and he sounded so offended it was almost hilarious. In fact, Ruffnut and Tuffnut _did_ burst out laughing, which only made Snotlout more offended. "Of _Hiccup?_ Never! Why would I be jealous of him?"

"Can't you just chill out, Snotlout?" said Astrid. "This is kind of a special day for Hiccup."

"But his birthday comes every year!" said Snotlout. "Why don't _I_ get stupid ceremonies whenever _my_ birthday rolls around?"

"First of all, Snotlout," said Tuffnut, "Hiccup's birthday doesn't come every year. February twenty ninth comes once every four years." He paused for a moment. "Wait...in that case, isn't Hiccup technically five?"

"And second of all, Snotlout," said Ruffnut, and she smiled sweetly. " _Jeeaalllouuusssyyyy!"_ she said in a sing-song voice.

"I'm not jealous!"

"We don't do this _every_ year, Snotlout. Hiccup is turning twenty today," said Fishlegs, "which means he's technically old enough to take over as Chieftain of Berk. I don't know about you, but that's sort of a big deal for the rest of us. The heir of Berk coming of age and all."

"Wait, so how old is he actually?" said Tuffnut, confused. "Five...or twenty?"

"I'm actually kind of jealous of Hiccup," said Ruffnut, crossing his arms. "Legend has it that Loki puts in that extra day every four years just to mess with people. And Hiccup was lucky enough to be born on one of them! Why couldn't _we_ be born on the Loki-mess-with-people day?"

"It's called the Leap Day, actually," said Fishlegs.

"Sure!" said Ruffnut. "Tomato tomata!"

"Speaking of Hiccup," said Fishlegs, and he looked around, "where is he?"

"He's probably hiding!" said Snotlout. "Like I wish I was! Maybe he and Toothless took to the hills!"

" _Jeaaaallloouuuuss!"_

"SHUT _UP!"_

"Hey, there he is!" Fishlegs called, and he pointed towards the front of the Great Hall. Toothless and Hiccup stepped forward, ducked expertly beneath two dancers, and then headed over to their friends' table, red cape billowing behind Hiccup, bangs covering the upper half of the symbol of the Chief on his forehead.

Hiccup sat down beside Astrid, across from the twins and Snotlout. "So, what did I miss?" he asked, as Toothless sat on the floor beside him.

"Nothing," said Tuffnut. "Hey, Hiccup, are you turning five or twenty?"

Hiccup frowned. "If _one more person_ uses the Leap Day joke," he said warningly, and then let his threat hang in the air.

"Congratulations, Hiccup!" said Fishlegs, reaching over and shaking his hand. "This is exciting! You're old enough to have Chieftain handed down to you!"

"Well, hopefully not any time soon," Hiccup said, withdrawing his hand. "Thor, if I get my hand shaken one more time, I think my entire arm is going to fall off." He shook out his hand as if for emphasis.

"So, what's the word, H.?" said Tuffnut. "What are we supposed to do at a coming of age ceremony?"

"I don't think we're supposed to do anything," said Hiccup, shrugging.

"Oh, and by the way," said Tuffnut, cupping one hand around his mouth, " _love_ the cape."

"It was my Dad's idea," Hiccup said. "Ceremonial, I guess. I wouldn't have worn it if I'd had a say in it, but...well, tradition."

"Tradition," repeated Ruffnut and Tuffnut solemnly, as if it were the answer to all of life's questions.

"You know," said Tuffnut, "if you tried hard enough, you could end any statement with that excuse."

"No you can't," said Snotlout.

"Traditionally, no," said Ruffnut, shrugging.

"Come on," moaned Snotlout. "And you thought _I_ was annoying."

"Well, it won't be long before the ceremony is over, anyways," said Hiccup. "My Dad told me they don't last long. We could probably head out any time we want and make for Dragon's Edge."

"Great!" said Snotlout, quickly getting to his feet. "In which case, let's go!"

"Not right _now_ , Snotlout," said Astrid, reaching over, grabbing Snotlout's forearm, and pushing him back into his seat. "It's the middle of the night. We can head back to the Edge at first light, _tomorrow_.

Snotlout crossed his arms furiously. "I'm telling you," he said, "it'll only be a matter of time before some stupid Berserker or stupid dragon hunter goes to our stupid Edge to take the stupid Dragon Eye! Are you _sure_ you put in a good enough hiding place before we left, Hiccup?"

"I told you, I'm positive!" said Hiccup.

"Are you sure you're positive?" said Tuffnut suspiciously, leaning over the table to stare into Hiccup's eyes.

"Pretty positive," said Hiccup, though this time, he sounded a bit unsure. "Great, now my confidence is gone. Thanks."

"Well, if you were so _confident_ before," said Tuffnut, "then why didn't you tell us where you hid the Dragon Eye, _hhmmmm_? You told Astrid and Fishlegs!"

"For a precaution," said Hiccup. "I'll tell you guys when we get back if it's so important to you. But for now, the less people who know about it, the safer the Dragon Eye is."

"I see," said Tuffnut, crossing his arms like Snotlout. "Not cool, H. Not cool."

"Look, guys, we'll head home in the morning, alright?" Hiccup said. "No problem. But right now, can't you just relax? The Dragon Eye is safe."

"Yeah! Relax, you guys!" said Snotlout. "But seriously, when can we leave? I'm bored."

"We'll leave," said Hiccup, "tomorrow, at dawn. But until then, we can have a little vacation, can't we?" He raised up his mug from the table. "Cheers to winning against the Berserkers, and maintaining our hold of the Dragon Eye."

"Cheers," Snotlout, Fishlegs, the twins, and Astrid echoed, and they clanked their mugs together all at once.

…

Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut later found themselves journeying into the forest of Raven Point. Toothless walked beside Hiccup, as Stormfly, Meatlug, Hookfang, and the twins walked alongside their own riders.

"So, are we heading back to the Edge now?" said Snotlout. "Come _on!_ Please! I'm bored!"

"We know you are, Snotlout," said Fishlegs, "you've said it over a hundred times."

"Guys, come on," said Hiccup. "Can we have peace and quiet for _five_ minutes? I still have that annoying song going through my head…'Well I've got my axe and I've got my mace-'"

"'-And I've got my sister with the ugly face!'' chimed in Tuffnut. "'I'm a Viking through and - AHHHH!" Ruffnut tackled him to the ground, effortlessly cutting him off. "I didn't mean _you!_ I meant my _other sister!"_

"Come on, guys, just hang in there until tomorrow," said Hiccup. "We'll head back to the Edge soon enough."

They kept walking through the forest, when suddenly, unexpectedly, their dragons tensed up and snarled. Toothless' teeth unsheathed; Stormfly raised her tail, her spines spiking straight up. Hookfang's wings lit on fire; Meatlug growled. Barf and Belch narrowed their eyes.

"Whoa, Toothless!" Hiccup said, putting out his hands. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"

Toothless didn't answer. He narrowed his eyes further, as did the other dragons around him.

And suddenly, a dark figure stepped into the moonlight from behind a tree. Their face was masked by a large helmet, and gleaming, silver armor covered their body.

Fishlegs gasped. "Gronckle Iron," he said, pointing. "I'd know that shimmer anywhere. Hiccup, the only other people who know the formula for Gronckle Iron besides us are-"

"The dragon hunters," Hiccup finished, and instantly, he drew his sword. Beside him, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins took up their weapons as well.

The masked figure held up their hands. "I mean no harm," they said; Hiccup couldn't tell whether the voice belonged to a male or a female, but it was deep, muffled by the helmet around their face, and it sounded a bit more like a male's than it did a female's.

"Why are you here?" Hiccup demanded.

"What do you want?" Astrid snapped.

The masked figure pulled a rolled piece of parchment from his satchel and tossed it forward. "Read the instructions," he said, jerking his head down at the letter. "If you accept, Hiccup Haddock the Third, then so be it. But if you decline...you have another thing coming to you."

Hiccup looked down briefly, as did the other riders and dragons, and Hiccup lifted up the scroll. It was fastened shut by a wax seal; the insignia of the dragon hunters was carved into the wax.

"Who are you?" Hiccup demanded, and he looked up again.

But the mysterious masked figure had vanished as though he had never even existed.


	2. Chapter 2

**I LOVE YOU GUYS.**

 **A LOT.**

 **OKAY?**

 **OKAY!**

 **Unfortunately, no shout-outs this chapter...I'm so sorry...:(...BUT YOU GUYS ARE BEAUTIFUL! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! :D ENJOY CHAPTER 2!**

 **OH, AND YOU GUYS JUST POINTED OUT A SMALL TYPO ON MY PART IN CHAPTER 1, HOW FISHLEGS SAID "FEBRUARY NINTH" INSTEAD OF FEBRUARY TWENTY NINTH. I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THAT. I AM GOING TO GO FIX IT RIGHT NOW! THANK YOU ALL WHO POINTED IT OUT! :D I take a lot of time in editing my stories, but it always seems like I only miss the biggest things...gggrrrr...XD**

 **Oh, and as a side note: "The Beat of Your Heart" will be updated soon, as will "Ouch!" So don't worry about those two. I WILL FINISH THEM. XD Love you guys! :D**

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Stormfly and Astrid flew over the forest of Raven Point, Ruffnut and Tuffnut mounted on Barf and Belch flying behind in her wake. They soared low to the ground, up into the air again, and the circled back around towards the clearing.

…

Snotlout, Fishlegs, Hookfang, and Meatlug checked the forest from the ground, searching behind bushes and trees, every now and then having their dragons fire a blast into the forest to supply them with light. But when they didn't find anything of use, they turned their dragons, soared into the sky, and headed for the clearing.

…

Hiccup and Toothless soared over the open ocean; the tumultuous waves crashed against each other due to the strong winds. Toothless let loose a plasma blast across the water's surface, but as the purple rings scanned their surroundings, their search proved futile, and Toothless soared towards their assigned meeting place: the clearing.

…

Toothless, Meatlug, Hookfang, Stormfly, and Barf and Belch landed in the clearing at the same time, and their riders dismounted. "Anything?" Hiccup asked instantly, rushing forward.

"Nothing!" said Astrid. "We checked the skies, the forests, the treetops...all the likely hiding places, but there's nothing."

"Whoever it was isn't in this forest anymore, that's for sure," said Snotlout. "We did a full check of the terrain. There ain't nothing to see here, Dragon Boy."

"Toothless and I checked the ocean," Hiccup said. "No ships, no rafts, no means of transportation whatsoever. Astrid, did you see anyone in the air?"

"No one," said Astrid, "but it's too dark right now to be sure. They would need a dragon in order to get in the air, Hiccup, and they didn't have a dragon with them."

"Not that we saw," said Hiccup, "but the insignia on the wax seal…" He pulled the scroll given to him by the stranger from Toothless' saddlebag and examined its front for the utmost time. "This is definitely the crest of the dragon hunters. Viggo's up to something. But what…?"

"We can look for whoever it was again in the morning," said Astrid.

"No, by then they'll be long gone," said Hiccup. "The only thing left to do now is...see why they gave me this scroll in the first place." He looked down at the parchment briefly, and then looked back up. "To the Academy," he said. "I need some good reading light."

"Sweet! Fire! I'll get a torch from the Great Hall," said Tuffnut.

"No, we don't need it," said Fishlegs.

"What? Why not?" said Ruffnut.

"Um, we have fire breathing _dragons?"_ said Snotlout.

"Oh, right," said Tuffnut, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry. I forgot again."

...

One of the dragons lit an oil lantern kept in the Academy's store room, and Fishlegs now held the lantern. Hiccup had set the scroll down on top of their round table, and the other riders gathered around it.

Hiccup slowly reached forward.

"Ugh, just open it already!" Snotlout moaned, making Hiccup and all else present jump. "Sheesh! It's not like it's going to bite!"

Hiccup broke the wax seal and unrolled the paper. Fishlegs held the lantern closer so he could read.

"It's a warning," he said, "and...an invitation."

"Oh, awesome!" said Tuffnut. "To a party? I _love_ parties! Wait, are parties where you set up a bunch of firewood and have the dragons torch it?"

"No, that's called our birthday," said Ruffnut.

"Oh, right!" said Tuffnut, grinning. "So, what's a party? And how come Hiccup gets invited and not us? I want my own invitation!"

"Would you guys shut up, please?" Hiccup said. "It's not that kind of invitation!"

"Well, read it out loud, would you?" Snotlout said angrily, crossing his arms. "Come on, you're leaving me in suspense here!"

Hiccup squinted. Even with the light, the runes were a bit hard to read.

"'Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third,'" he read, "'you have crossed the dragon hunters for the last time. Be warned, you are now treading on dangerous ground. Fail, and it will mean death to you and your dragon riders. Succeed, and your death will be postponed for a time.'"

"Huh," said Tuffnut. "Not very inviting if you ask me-"

"I'm not _finished,"_ Hiccup snapped, and then, he kept reading. "'If you accept our challenge, follow the instructions in the following riddle. If you decline our challenge, we will lay siege on Berk.'"

"Oh…" said Tuffnut. "So I guess that's not what we want, is it-"

"SHHH!" Fishlegs, Snotlout, Astrid, Ruffnut, and Hiccup hissed, and Tuffnut went silent once again.

Hiccup looked down. "Here's the riddle," he said. " _The boastful wiseman is an ignorant fool; the unskilled soldier is a teacher's duel. In the forest at midnight the pawns will be set; at the Edge of destruction, a goal must be met. It must be sought by intelligence and skill, but only won through a battle of will. If you succeed, Hiccup Haddock, your task will go on; but fail, and you will be slain as the pawn. Come alone, or don't come at all. Hasten, fair opponent; do not stall."_

Hiccup frowned.

"Oooookay," said Snotlout, backing up, "I am _officially_ done with today. Yep, I am definitely done with today..."

"What does that mean?" Astrid pondered to herself, looking away. "The 'Edge of destruction'...does that mean Dragon's Edge?"

"It must," Hiccup said. "That's where the Dragon Eye is, and Viggo knows that. He must be planning some kind of attack."

"But that only answers one of the many things that riddle could mean," said Snotlout furiously. "I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed today…"

"No, I think it's obvious what the riddle means," said Hiccup.

"Oh, well, if you would be so _kind_ ," said Snotlout, "AND TELL US, HOW IN THOR'S NAME ANYTHING IN THAT STUPID RIDDLE IS OBVIOUS!?"

"'In the forest at midnight the pawns will be set; at the Edge of destruction a goal to be met,'" Hiccup recited. "In the forest back at Dragon's Edge, I have to face this...this...whoever he is."

"But the next part says, 'It must be sought by intelligence and skill, but only won through a battle of will,'" read Fishlegs. "That means…"

"It's Maces and Talons all over again," Hiccup said. "Viggo is forcing my hand, just like he did the last time. If I don't accept the challenge...the hunters will attack Berk, with the Berserkers on their side. It'll be a _slaughter_."

"But if you _do_ accept the challenge," said Astrid, "who _knows_ what's going to happen. 'You will be slain as the pawn'...I for one do _not_ like the way that sounds."

"But that's only if I fail," Hiccup said. "It says, _IF_ I fail...it just means I can't fail."

"Truer words have never been spoken," said Tuffnut, nodding. "But I still want to know why Hiccup got an invitation and we didn't-"

"But Hiccup, this entire thing could be a trap," said Fishlegs.

"And anyways," said Snotlout, "what happens if you _do_ fail?"

Hiccup looked down at the dragon hunter insignia signed at the bottom corner of the scroll. "Then, it's like Astrid said," said Hiccup slowly, eyes still locked on the crest of the dragon hunters. "Who knows what'll happen."

…

The riders arrived at Dragon's Edge at nightfall the next day, just as the sun dipped behind the horizon. The dragons landed, one by one, on the platform outside the Clubhouse, and the riders dismounted, heading for the Clubhouse's door, scroll clutched in Hiccup's hand.

They headed inside the Clubhouse and looked around. Everything was in order. The tension in the air released, and the riders sighed collectively in relief.

"Well, the hunters definitely didn't attack while we were gone," said Fishlegs. "They would've ransacked this place looking for the Dragon Eye."

"Viggo must know we've hidden it," said Hiccup. "I'd bet you anything he's waiting for us to bring it out into the open before he attacks."

"In which case," said Snotlout, "let's _never bring it out into the open_. If we don't, maybe Viggo will _never attack_."

"Look, guys, as long as the Dragon Eye is safe, we don't have to worry about that," said Hiccup. "Right now...I need to get ready. Midnight...I'm sure the message meant tonight. I have to meet whoever gave me the message in the first place in just a few hours from now."

"Hiccup, are you sure you don't want us to follow you and back you up?" Astrid asked uncertainly. "I mean, who _knows_ who this guy actually is...it could be Viggo himself! Ryker, _Dagur_...who knows, Hiccup. You might need the backup."

"The letter made it clear," Hiccup said. "I have to go alone. I know, I want to be backed up as much as you want to back me up, but we can't. Breaking the rules could be fatal."

"You're right, you're right," said Astrid, rubbing her arm nervously. "Just...be careful, alright? Please."

"I will be," Hiccup promised. "And...just...hope I don't fail, alright? If I do…"

"Don't say it," said Astrid, shaking her head. "Just don't say it. You'll win, Hiccup. I have faith in you."

"And so do I, H.!" said Tuffnut, grinning. "We'll be waiting here when you get back, too! We can tell scary stories that make you wish night would never come, and then we'll-"

"Eh, you'll be fine!" said Snotlout, waving his hand dismissively. "You're Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the flipping Third, for Thor's sake. But anyways...be careful, even though it's totally unnecessary."

"Just remember, Hiccup," said Fishlegs warningly, "they _are_ dragon hunters. You don't know what they're capable of. And this entire thing...it's a trap, more than likely."

"I'll keep that in mind, don't worry," said Hiccup. He glanced outside; the sun had set, and the island was dark. "I should probably start heading that way," Hiccup said, jerking his head towards the door. "No matter what happens, don't leave the Clubhouse. Keep your dragons inside and be as quiet as possible."

The riders looked at each other uncertainly, but nodded in the end. Astrid stepped forward and embraced Hiccup tightly. After no hesitation, Hiccup embraced her back equally tight.

Then, all too soon, they broke their embrace. Hiccup turned away, opened the hatch, and stepped outside; instantly, Toothless raced up to him, looking concerned.

"No, bud," Hiccup said, "you have to stay here with the others. I have to go alone."

Toothless growled sadly and nudged Hiccup's hand. Hiccup sighed heavily and rubbed Toothless' head.

"I'm sorry, Toothless," he said. "Stay here and look after the rest of the riders. Make sure they don't try and follow me. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to one of them."

Toothless nodded solemnly, licked Hiccup's face, and Hiccup turned and headed the long way towards the forest as the moon rose higher into the sky, taking the once place of the sun.

Toothless growled at Hiccup's retreating back, wishing more than ever that he could follow his rider and protect him, but he knew that right now, the best way to protect Hiccup was by staying behind.

So, Toothless turned, and headed inside the Clubhouse. Hookfang, Barf, Belch, Meatlug, and Stormfly went in after him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Thanks for your patience! :) I'm learning "I See the Light" from Disney's Tangled on piano, so that's exciting. :D ANYWAYS, shout-outs:**

 **ShadowSpirit020: Thanks! :) I'm not so sure what I'm going to do after this season. I'm leaning towards doing some more updates on "Ouch!" and "The Beat of Your Heart", and then waiting for Season 3 of RttE to come out, so I can start writing Season 3B, since it's coming up pretty soon (I'm guessing the release date will be sometime in summer). Season 1B will probably be posted AFTER Season 3B, depending on how 3B ends and if I have enough time to write 1B before 4B. XD Thanks! :D**

 **Emachinescat: Awww, haha, thank you! XD I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far! :D Tuffnut is such a fun character to write about. HAHA, waffles...XD I love updating! I like to hear what everyone thinks of the chapters, beit positive or negative (normally positive ;D). I'm so glad to hear what you think! Thank you so much for the lovely review! :D**

 **SilverGhostWolf: Haha, yeah, cliffhanger. We'll have to see who that masked figure is. :D**

 **Forever Me: Haha, you won't have to wait very long though, I promise. XD I'm glad you're enjoying it! Thanks! :D**

 **Animals Rule: Awesome! :D**

 **midnightsky0612: Yes, very tense. :D**

 **HappyPup1: YES. TOOTHLESS PROTECT YOUR RIDER! :D :D :D**

 **Galaxy-Mitsuko-Pegasus: Yes. It's gonna be REALLLLYYY crazy. :D**

 **Dimensional Girl: Sorry about that! XD And thanks! I love writing about Snotlout! :D**

 **wikelia: Sorry about that. XD**

 **Guest (#1): Updated! :D**

 **Carly Marley: Yeah, sorry about the suspense. :D**

 **DG-Agent37-Lover: It is getting rather suspense-y, isn't it? XD Thanks for the review! And don't worry if they're shorter; I don't care how long or short they are. I'm just happy to receive them! :D Doomsday...yes, a very promising title (heh heh heh). You'll have to see what happens! I know, I like Dragon's Edge, too. I don't want them to lose it! :( Thanks for the review! :D**

 **LunarCatNinja: That would be very interesting if Heather killed Viggo...wow. :D**

* * *

Astrid paced the floor nervously, axe held in hand. Fishlegs doodled at the table, trying to keep his mind off things. Snotlout leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, and Ruffnut and Tuffnut sat at the table, posture slack. The dragons stood sentinel at the door; Toothless stared constantly at it.

"Um...I don't know about you guys," said Tuffnut finally, "but I am bored."

"You always say that," snapped Snotlout, "just because you want something to do. But no, none of us are leaving this Clubhouse, because if we do-"

"If we do, what?" said Ruffnut, straightening up, stretching, and crossing her arms. "It's not like we're going to be the target of some loony _dragon hunters_. It's Hiccup they're after, isn't it?"

Astrid glared at her.

"What?" said Ruffnut. "Don't tell me I'm wrong!"

"Guys, chill out!" said Snotlout. "If anyone can doop Viggo and his stupid hunters, it's Hiccup. We just got done telling him we have total faith in him. Don't start taking it back _now."_

"Ugh, we'll, I'm thirsty," said Tuffnut, getting to his feet and making for the door. "I'm gonna take a walk to the lake."

"Hiccup told us to stay here," said Astrid lowly, swinging her axe over her shoulder, looking at Tuffnut suspiciously.

"I'm just going to be a minute!" groaned Tuffnut. "Sheesh! Seriously! I'll be back in a second-" He turned to the door, and Toothless growled at him. "I appreciate all of your concern."

"Look, bro, we just don't want you to screw it up," said Ruffnut. "The letter said HIccup had to come alone. If you go, they might think Hiccup is trying to sabotage the competition and attack Berk after our demise."

"Whoa, that's a big word," said Tuffnut. "'The'...I will figure out what that means soon enough…" He turned back, reaching out his hand to open the door.

"Tuffnut-" said Fishlegs warningly.

"I'll be right back!" said Tuffnut. "I know you care, but I didn't think you cared _that_ much!" He pushed open the door of the Clubhouse and stepped outside.

"Haha," said Snotlout mirthlessly. "He's gonna die."

Ruffnut, Fishlegs, and Astrid glared at him. Snotlout shrugged and threw his hands into the air.

"Just sayin'."

…

Tuffnut wandered aimlessly on the wooden bridges connecting the different buildings on the Edge. Beside him, Chicken walked happily, constantly glancing up at him, clucking occasionally.

"This is amazing," said Tuffnut. "Here we are, alone...but we're alone, _together_. How cool is this, Chicken?"

Chicken clucked.

"I couldn't have put it better myself!" said Tuffnut, smiling. "Come. Let us move on."

But before they had the chance to move on, the sharp point of a sword pressed against Tuffnut's back, and Tuffnut froze. "Put your hands up," snarled a voice behind him, and Tuffnut instantly threw his hands above his head.

"Nice sword!" said Tuffnut, smiling. "Sharp. I like it!"

The masked figure - the same one who had given Hiccup the scroll in the first place - shoved Tuffnut roughly. "Start walking," he growled, "and don't stop until I tell you to."

"Haha, great!" said Tuffnut. "An adventure! Cool! You wait here, Chicken! I will soon return!"

Chicken tilted his head in confusion and _buck_ -ed as the masked man grabbed Tuffnut's shoulder, sword held in other hand, and led him away.

"Hey, is there any chance I could try out that sword of yours?" Tuffnut asked, reaching towards the sharp, gleaming weapon.

"No!" snapped the masked man, yanking the sword further away.

"Aww, come on! But I love swords!"

…

Hiccup walked through the dark forest, Gronckle Iron shield in one hand, sword sheathed at his belt. The trees cast eerie shadows against the forest floor, and every now and then, Hiccup looked over his shoulder, just to make sure he wasn't being followed.

He kept walking. The moon rose higher into the night sky until it was directly above him. Midnight had come.

Hiccup stepped through the trees and into a clearing lit entirely by moonlight. In the center of the clearing, a table that hadn't been there yesterday was set, and on the table, a Maces and Talons board with two characters placed on it: the noble Viking Chief, and a Henchman.

The man in the mask stepped out from behind a nearby tree and strode forward into the clearing, the table placed between him and Hiccup. "Hiccup Haddock the Third," he said. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" Hiccup demanded, hand hovering over the hilt of his sword.

The man shook his head. "You aren't one to beat around the bush, are you, Hiccup?" he said. "My true identity must remain a secret. However, I can give myself a title in which you can call me by."

"Name it," Hiccup growled.

"Knife," said the masked figure, drawing his sword. "You may address me as Knife."

"So you're a dragon hunter," said Hiccup, and this time, he drew his sword; the Gronckle Iron blade gleamed in the moonlight.

Knife nodded. "I am," he said. "I am Viggo's henchman, you see. I am his pawn." He moved towards the Maces and Talons board and pointed towards the Henchman game piece. "You, if you have not already realized it, are the Viking Chief."

"Yeah, kind of obvious," said Hiccup. "I've played Maces and Talons with Viggo before. I know his game."

The figure looked at him, almost sadly (if a masked face could have expression), and then, with a sigh, he said, "I hope you do. For the life of your friend rests in your hands."

It took Hiccup a second to process this. "Wait, what?" he said. "The life of...my friend? What? Who?"

Knife pulled a Hunter game piece from his satchel and set it on the table, behind the Henchman. "Your task," said Knife, "is to save your friend. In the riddle I presented to you upon our previous meeting, I mentioned that it would be accomplished through skill. Or, a battle of will."

"I'm listening," Hiccup said, clutching his sword tighter absentmindedly, wondering how Knife would react if Hiccup pounced and attacked now, while he had the chance.

"You have two options," said Knife. "Your friend is in a bit of a tricky situation. His time is limited, so make your mind up fast. If you choose to abandon your better willpower and tell me where the Dragon Eye is, I will release your friend immediately. However, if you choose to _not_ tell me the location of the Dragon Eye, I will give you another riddle, and you must save your friend yourself."

"How do I know you're not bluffing?" Hiccup growled. "How do I know that if I give you the Dragon Eye, you'll let him go?"

"You don't," said Knife.

Hiccup paused. Giving up the Dragon Eye would mean putting his friends and their dragons in danger. And even if he did give up the Dragon Eye, Knife _could_ have been bluffing; he could simply take the Dragon Eye and return to Viggo without releasing whichever friend was trapped.

But if Hiccup took the riddle instead…

"I'll take the riddle," Hiccup said. "What is it?"

Knife nodded respectfully and spoke. " _'A gaping mouth at water's end; there you will find your lost friend. The waves crash on rocks and the water will rise. Find your friend soon or he'll reach his demise.'_ You have ten minutes to find and rescue your friend, or he will die."

Knife pulled his black cape around him and disappeared into the forest. Instantly, Hiccup began turning the riddle over in his head, thinking desperately.

"Okay, okay...gaping mouth...he could mean the mouth of a cave," Hiccup said, thinking out loud to himself. "Okay, so I'm looking for a cave, near the ocean…they get filled up with water when the tide comes in..." He paused. "Of course!" he said. "The tide! When the tide comes in, the water will rise…"

He didn't wait any longer now that he knew what he had to do. He turned and tore through the forest, making a break for the beach. The beach nearest to the forest was littered with caves, and when Hiccup looked across the sandy shores, he saw the cave nearest to the ocean, filled up half-way already with sea water.

Hoping against hope he wasn't too late, he raced across the sand, left his shield and sword on the sand, and dove into the water.

He swam into the mouth of the cave, hoping silently that the water hadn't already risen to fatal point, and when he broke the surface, now inside the cave, he was relieved to find that he hadn't.

But at the same time, he was also annoyed beyond measure.

"TUFFNUT!" Hiccup shouted furiously. "I _TOLD YOU_ TO STAY IN THE CLUBHOUSE!"

Tuffnut was tied hand and foot with thick ropes, submerged up to his ribs in water. "I know this probably looks a lot worse from your perspective, Hiccup," said Tuffnut seriously, "but on the bright side, I found this really cool looking spider! I wonder if it's poisonous…"

Hiccup dove back beneath the water and swam towards his tied friend. He broke to the surface right in front of Tuffnut, and he pulled Tuffnut's dagger from his belt and began cutting away the ropes as fast as he could.

The tide was coming in quickly, almost too quickly, and it was already up to Hiccup's chest. He brushed wet hair out of his eyes and kept working to saw through the ropes.

"Hey, you know something, Hiccup," said Tuffnut. "the dragon hunters really need to get some new schemes. I mean, didn't you tell us they put you in a cave by the waterside, too, and just left you to drown? Leaving people to drown really doesn't work. They should know that, they really should-"

"Tuffnut," Hiccup said, shutting his eyes, mentally whispering, _Don't be angry, don't be angry, don't be angry,_ to himself, "I think there is a time to discuss drowning and a time to...well, _not drown_."

"Right you are, H.," said Tuffnut, and Hiccup kept slicing away the ropes.

"Tuffnut, did you even resist at all when you were taken here?" Hiccup asked, sawing through a particularly thick rope as quickly as he could - the water was up to his shoulders now. He thought about going back and getting his sword, but abandoned the idea; in the time it took him to get his sword and come back, Tuffnut would have drowned.

"Nope," said Tuffnut casually, as though they weren't literally five minutes away from certain death. "I thought it'd be kinda cool, you know, being the damsel in distress for once."

"And are you having fun?" Hiccup said through clenched teeth, now yanking at the ropes to get them off Tuffnut.

"Yes," said Tuffnut. "Yes I am." He shook off the remaining ropes, just as another particularly large wave swept into the cave, and the water level went up to Tuffnut's neck. "Hey, Hiccup, shouldn't we get out of here?"

"Do you know how to swim?" Hiccup asked.

Tuffnut opened his mouth, and then frowned. "Darn it, I was going to learn how-"

"Nevermind!" Hiccup shouted, dropping Tuffnut's dagger into the water and holding out his hand. "Just...don't let go of my arm, alright?"

Tuffnut nodded and clasped his hands around Hiccup's forearm. His grip was so tight it was painful, but Hiccup commented not.

"This is so dramatic," said Tuffnut. "Hero saves idiot from drowning. Awesome."

"TUFFNUT!" Hiccup yelled, as another wave swept into the cave, making the water chin-level. "Hold your breath!"

Tuffnut sucked in a deep breath, and when Hiccup did the same, Hiccup dove beneath the water, dragging Tuffnut with him by the arm.

The instant they were underwater, the cave's water level went to the roof. Hiccup kicked, using the arm Tuffnut wasn't clinging to to pull himself through the water. The waves were working against them, and just when Hiccup was sure they weren't going to make it…

Hiccup and Tuffnut broke the surface of the water. Hiccup gasped for breath and instantly pulled both of them up onto the shore, right beside Hiccup's sword and shield. For a few moments, Hiccup and Tuffnut laid in the sand.

"We made it," Hiccup panted.

Tuffnut's head shot up. "We almost died," he said.

"We made it…" Hiccup repeated quietly, dropping his head back into the sand.

"Um...sorry, Hiccup."

"You are _so_ grounded, Tuffnut."

"I know."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! :D Thanks for all your support of this story! I love you guys! :D Unfortunately I won't be able to do shout-outs this chapter, but I promise, I'll have 'em for y'all in the next one! :D I love you guys! Enjoy chapter 4! :D**

* * *

Hiccup and Tuffnut raced through the forest, weaving between trees, Hiccup's shield strapped to his back and sword in his hand. Tuffnut lagged behind him. They tore between two trees and made it to the clearing.

But no one was there.

"No!" Hiccup said. "How did he get away? He was right here!"

"Yeah," said Tuffnut. "Wait, who are you talking about? Did I miss something again?"

"Knife," Hiccup said, stepping towards the Maces and Talons board set in the center of the clearing. The Henchman game piece was gone, leaving the Viking Chief and the Hunter pieces still on the board. "How did he get away so fast again?"

"Whoa, his name is _Knife?"_ said Tuffnut. "Awesome!"

"Yeah, sure - no, wait, this is _not_ awesome, Tuffnut!" Hiccup said. "This is the royal _opposite_ of _awesome!"_ He threw his sword, and the blade embedded itself in the dirt at his side.

"Sorry, sorry, keep your helmet on, H., geez," said Tuffnut, putting up his hands defensively. "But seriously, Hiccup. The riddle. In the riddle, they wanted you to beat them, right?"

"Right!"

"Right," said Tuffnut, nodding, "and you _did_ beat them. Didn't their letter mention something about your task going on? They're obviously not done with you yet, you know. If this was all they were planning, it was kind of lame."

Hiccup took a moment to ponder this. "You're right," said Hiccup. "Viggo wouldn't risk doing something like this unless it was for a greater purpose, a bigger picture…"

"Sooooo...what does that mean exactly?"

"I don't know," Hiccup said, looking back towards the board. Tuffnut stepped up beside him and looked down at it excitedly.

"Whoa, cool!" he said. "Maces and Talons! I love this game! Is this supposed to be me?" He picked up the Hunter game piece. "Huh...do I really scowl like that?"

And the instant he did, a scroll fell from the bottom of the hollow pawn. Hiccup frowned for a moment, and then, broke into a grin, while Tuffnut examined the game piece.

"Tuffnut, you're a genius!" Hiccup said, snatching up the scroll.

"Am I?" said Tuffnut, smiling. "Aw, you're just saying that...wait." His brows furrowed again. "Why am I a genius again?"

"Come on!" Hiccup said, ignoring him, taking up his sword again and running in the opposite direction. "Let's get back to the others!"

"And once again, Tuffnut is left in the dark," said Tuffnut, and then, he took off after Hiccup.

…

"I _told you_ not to leave the Clubhouse!" growled Snotlout after Hiccup and Tuffnut recounted everything that had happened. "Stupid, stupid, Tuffnut! You should have known it was a trap!"

On a nearby barrel, Chicken clucked. "You stay out of it, you little backstabber!" snapped Tuffnut, and Chicken clucked one last time before falling silent.

"Viggo knew one of you would follow me," said Hiccup. "Somehow, he knew, or else he wouldn't have put all of it in the riddle. He planned it out. He predicted our moves and used them against us."

"So, what about this 'other scroll' Tuffnut found?" said Astrid, moving forward. "Have you read it yet?"

"Not yet," said Hiccup, pulling the scroll from his pocket, revealing its unbroken wax seal.

"Well, come on!" groaned Snotlout. "Open it already, Princess!"

Hiccup snapped the seal instantly and unrolled the scroll. "'If you are reading this it means you succeeded,'" Hiccup read, "'and for that I say congratulations. But far harder tasks are now heading your way. Be wary, Hiccup Haddock, for any wrong move could be your last.'"

"Is this another invitation?" said Ruffnut.

"No," hissed Astrid.

"Oh, good," said Tuffnut, sighing in relief, "because it sounds more like a death warrant to me-"

Hiccup cleared his throat loudly, and Tuffnut muttered, "Sorry," and Hiccup continued reading. "'Journey on, if you dare, and meet your second task. Be warned. The same rules apply.'" He looked to the bottom of the page, where the riddle was written.

"Another riddle," he announced.  
"Oh, great!" said Snotlout, crossing his arms. "Why do evil geniuses always use riddles? I mean, seriously! It's getting cliche now! First it was Hamish the Second, and then it was Bork, and now, _Viggo!?"_

"Just let Hiccup read it, Snotlout," said Fishlegs, and Astrid elbowed Snotlout hard in the ribs.

And Hiccup read it. " _Pass this next task, I will implore. You began with a smash, but give me more. In the sky we will meet for the second fight. Meet me there alone at night. Take with you a dragon, but one without flame; pick a dragon you cannot train. And then, when the time is right, meet me beneath the moon's faint light. There will the odds be ever so fair; so fight me, Hiccup, if you dare."_

"I told you," said Tuffnut. "Death warrant."

"Well, that's easy!" said Snotlout. "Dragons, Hiccup! This is totally right up your alley! Just pick the dragon that can cause the most destruction, and go up and beat this Knife guy!"

"I...I don't think it'll be that simple, Snotlout," said Hiccup. "It says a dragon without flame. Which eliminates a lot of our options. Monstrous Nightmares, Zipplebacks, Gronckles, Deadly Nadders-"

"Why don't you take a Changewing?" said Tuffnut. "I mean, they can cause some wicked destruction with their acid spitting, can't they?"

"It also said a dragon that can't be trained," said Astrid. "We've trained Changewings before."

"And we've also trained Scauldrons," said Fishlegs, counting off on his fingers, "and Night Furies, and of course Gronckles, Nadders, Nightmares, and Zipplebacks. There has to be something."

"Seashocker!" said Tuffnut. "How about a Seashocker?"

"We won't be able to find one before tomorrow night," said Hiccup, "they're deep dwelling dragons, remember? And anyways, Fishlegs befriended a Seashocker once, which means they _could_ be trained."

"Smothering Smokebreaths!" said Ruffnut.

"And how is _that_ going to help Hiccup win?" said Snotlout. "Smokebreaths are addicted to metal, metal leg - NOT a good combination. And besides, how is Hiccup going to 'meet' his enemy in the sky on a dragon not big enough to ride?"

"Come on, guys, there has to be something," said Hiccup. "Thunderdrums can be trained...Terrible Terrors, not an option…"

"How about a Monstrous Nightmare?" said Tuffnut.

"We've already eliminated that!" said Astrid. "Besides, what does 'a dragon without flame' mean to you?"

"Boring," said Ruffnut and Tuffnut in unison, looking sadly down at the ground.

Hiccup thought long and hard. Then, at the last minute, he stopped. He had thought of something. "Guys," Hiccup said, "do you remember the Lethal Viper?"

Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut whirled around to look at him.

"You mean the deadly poisonous dragon that nearly killed you when you first met?" said Astrid.

"That's the one," said Hiccup, nodding.

Snotlout gasped, leaping backwards. "No way!" he shrieked. "No Thor's flipping _way_ we're going after that thing! That dragon is _beyond_ dangerous!"

"Says the guy who casually rides a dragon that can light itself on fire from head to tail," said Fishlegs flatly.

"That's different!" protested Snotlout. "Hookfang is trained! The Lethal Viper is nothing short of a saber tooth tiger that slithers around like some sort of freak snake thing, killing everything that crosses it! So thanks but no thanks! If you need any help finding the Lethal Viper, don't come to me!"

"Never thought of it," said Hiccup, shrugging.

"Snotlout, Hiccup and the Lethal Viper share mutual respect," said Fishlegs. "Hiccup _did_ free the Viper from its prison on Viggo's base, and in return, the Viper scared off the dragon hunters to make room for our own escape."

"But we haven't seen that freak thing since!" said Snotlout. "How do we know it's even still _alive?_ It could have died off! Maybe its predators killed it off!"

"A dragon more deadly than a knife to the heart?" said Astrid, putting a hand on her hip. "Unlikely."

"Fishlegs, do you have any idea on how we could find the Lethal Viper?" Hiccup asked urgently. For a few moments, Fishlegs did nothing but twiddle his thumbs, but then, he headed over to his chest and pulled Bork's notebook from it.

"The Lethal Viper," he said, flipping through the yellowed pages of the old book. He stopped when he reached the proper page, and he set the book down on the table in front of the other riders. A charcoal drawing of a four-legged snake-like dragon with dripping fangs and large wings was drawn onto the paper and colored a cruel shade of green.

"And its eating habits are...bloodvein eels," said Fishlegs lowly.

"GREAT!" said Snotlout, tossing his hands over his head. "Hey, I have an idea! Let's walk up to this saber tooth, deadly poisonous, eel-munching dragon, and ask it to help us stop some loony dragon hunter! Great idea, Hiccup! You know, when dragons start eating eels, you _know_ something is wrong with their mental state of mind?"

"Typhoomerangs eat eels," said Astrid, "and you don't have a problem with _them_."

"Then use a Typhoomerang instead of a Lethal Viper! Problem solved!"

"Typhoomerangs have _flame_ , Snotlout," said Fishlegs.

"And," said Astrid, "they're trainable!"

"AHH!"

"Alright, guys!" said Hiccup, clapping his hands together. "Next stop…"

…

"...Eel Island!" Hiccup announced, as they soared over the landscape of said island the next morning. Fishlegs, Astrid, the twins, and Snotlout filed in behind him on their dragons.

"So, what happens if we run into a, oh, I don't know, a wild Typhoomerang!?" said Snotlout, voice bordering hysteria. "What's the plan then, Hiccup?"

"We don't get killed by it," said Hiccup.

"I _assumed_ that was _applied!_ " said Snotlout.

The dragons touched down in the center of the forest, and their riders dismounted, looking around skeptically. "Okay, Fishlegs," said Hiccup. "Do your thing."

"I hope I don't live to regret this," said Fishlegs.

"I hope we don't live at all," said Ruffnut.

"I hope we live," said Tuffnut, "and die some other time!"

"Guys, quiet!" Astrid snapped. "We don't want to attract any Typhoomerangs if we can avoid it!"

Fishlegs cupped his hands around his mouth and performed a dragon call unlike any the riders had ever heard before. "Lethal Viper call," said Fishlegs. "Bork mentioned how to do it."

"Yeah, I'm sure he did," said Snotlout, "but I doubt he meant for it to sound like a rusty saw cutting through a tree stump! I wouldn't be surprised if you scared off the Lethal Viper with _that_ noise!"

However, Snotlout was wrong. A roar not unlike the one Fishlegs had made broke through the sky, and the Lethal Viper soared and landed directly in front of them. Its long fangs dripped green, pasty venom, and its red eyes were narrowed.

Toothless, Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug, Barf, and Belch growled warningly, and the Lethal Viper growled back, equally warningly. Hiccup swallowed thickly, held out his hand, and slowly approached the venomous dragon.

"How are you sure that's even the same dragon you rescued from the hunters?" Snotlout whispered harshly.

"The scars," Hiccup said, never once breaking eye contact with the Viper. "They're the same. And see those patches on the legs where the scales rubbed off? That's from the shackles."

"If he dies," said Tuffnut, "I call dibs on Toothless!"

Toothless growled lowly at Tuffnut.

"Kidding!" said Tuffnut, throwing his hands over his head defensively. "Just kidding!"

Hiccup stepped towards the Lethal Viper cautiously, unsure of what he would do if the dragon failed to remember Hiccup's releasing him. "Hey," Hiccup said slowly, and the dragon growled lowly, "remember me? I saved your life from the hunters."

Recognition flashed in the Viper's eyes, and its expression softened, though its guard was never dropped.

"That's right," Hiccup said. "I know you don't trust humans, but maybe we can be mutual acquaintances…?"

The dragon didn't move.

"Look, I need your help," said Hiccup. "The dragon hunters are trying to attack, and I don't know what to do. If the dragon hunters beat us, who knows what they'll do to the rest of the dragons. They'll hunt them, enslave them...eventually kill them…"

He stopped, leaving his hand outstretched.

"We need your help," he said. "Please."

And he turned his head and looked away, leaving himself at the mercy of a deadly, lethal dragon. Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, the twins, and the other dragons watched with bated breath.

And then, the Lethal Viper bumped his head against Hiccup's hand, and Hiccup whirled around again, nearly laughing with relief.

"Alright!" he called to the rest of the riders. "I think we're good!"

"Great!" said Snotlout. "Now let's get back to the Edge before the Typhoomerangs realize we're here!"

They mounted their dragons again and took off, the Lethal Viper flying after them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Aaaahhhh, people! :D I love you all! :D Shout-outs:**

 **wikelia: Haha, yeah! I loved the Lethal Viper! :D**

 **ShadowSpirit020: That he is. That he is. :)**

 **SilverGhostWolf: Hahaha, thanks! :D**

 **Blue Angel: Aw, thanks! I'm glad you enjoy my stories! :) I'm working to learn Spanish right now as a second language. I think other languages are really cool. :) Thanks for the review! :D**

 **Crystallion12: True that. :)**

 **SnivyDragon: Haha, yeah, I'm not sure if Hiccup's going to name it, because technically, it's not trained; he and Hiccup share a mutual respect. But I'm sure any name Hiccup could come up with would be SOOO cool (*cough* *cough* Eyelicker *cough*) XD**

 **bella: Yesssss, Tuffnut and Snotlout! XD And who is Knife? And what is Viggo's plan? So many questions and so little answers. XD**

 **Animals Rule: It's a mutual respect. They respect each other. The Lethal Viper is not trained. :)**

 **Forever Me: You make a good point, but it's a bit different than that. The Lethal Viper and Hiccup share mutual respect; the Lethal Viper respects Hiccup for releasing him from the hunters, and Hiccup respects the Lethal Viper. They aren't "friends" or "acquaintances". The Seashocker and Fishlegs were "friends" (or "acquaintances"). That was a brilliant question! Thanks! :D**

 **DG-Agent37-Lover: That's totally fine! No worries! :D Yeah, there've been some high winds where I live lately and I keep silently chanting, "Don't die, internet, don't die, internet..." XD A tiny hint as to who Knife is...? Eh...well...I put one in the chapter. :D Don't want to spoil too much. XD And yeah, Tuffnut and Snotlout...HAVE SOME FAITH IN HICCUP. XD HONESTLY. XD Tuffnut's punishment...NO EXPLOSIONS FOR A WEEK. *Tuffnut screams NOOO in the distance* XD Thanks for the review! :D**

 **midnightsky0612: We'll find out who Knife is...sooooon. XD**

 **Galaxy-Mitsuko-Pegasus: Hahaha! :D Yeah, Venomous Vorpent, Lethal Viper...same lethal venom, different dragon. XD Yep, I can promise this will be interesting. :)**

 **Guest: Yeah, not a Flightmare. :)**

* * *

Knife weaved through the forest, stepping between trees and making his way towards the oceanside. Docked on the sandy shores of Dragon's Edge was a single dragon hunter ship. On the decks of the ship stood Ryker, Viggo, and seven other dragon hunters of Viggo's crew.

"Ah, Knife," said Viggo, smiling pleasantly. "How goes the game?"

"The game goes well, Viggo," snarled Knife. "But we still have no idea where the Dragon Eye is, and Hiccup will never tell _you_ where it is, on any account."

"That will not matter," said Viggo. "When the time is right, and when the board is properly set, there will be no need for Hiccup Haddock to tell us the location of the Dragon Eye. He'll hand-deliver it to us personally."

Ryker smiled cruelly. Behind his mask, Knife growled.

"Here is the next riddle, should Hiccup pass this task," said Viggo, holding a scroll out to Knife, along with a small bottle of wax and the dragon hunter's insignia seal. "Once you read it, seal it."

Knife unrolled the scroll, read it over, memorized it, mentally figured out the meaning of the riddle, and rolled it up once again. He sealed it with wax and handed the seal back to Viggo, who took it and stored it in his satchel.

"Present the scroll to Hiccup Haddock should he succeed in his task," said Viggo.

Knife nodded curtly and spun on his heel, stomping back into the forest.

"Oh, and one more thing," said Viggo, and Knife turned again. "I needn't remind you," said Viggo, "the consequences should you fail to bring Hiccup's task to him."

Knife shivered for a moment, and then nodded and headed away.

...

The Lethal Viper stood in the center of the Clubhouse with the other riders and dragons standing around it. Outside, the sun was setting, and night would soon be upon them. Hiccup pressed his hand against Viper's muzzle. "You ready?" he asked, and Viper nodded.

Astrid walked up behind him, axe strapped to her back. "Hiccup, just be careful," she said. "You don't know what kind of dragon the hunter is going to be riding. There wasn't anything in the rules that said _their_ dragon had to be untrainable and without flame."

"I'll be careful, Astrid," said Hiccup. "You know me. We've got it covered."

Toothless bumped Hiccup from behind, and Hiccup turned away from Viper and towards the Night Fury. "I know, Toothless," said Hiccup, "I don't like it either, but we don't have another choice. I'll be fine."

Toothless growled, still clearly not reassured, but he didn't protest again. Hiccup mounted Viper, and the poisonous dragon shot out of the door of the Clubhouse, spread its wings, and took to the sky.

Fishlegs stepped up beside Astrid, watching in the light of the dying sun as Hiccup disappeared from view. "If anyone can take down Knife," said Fishlegs, "it's Hiccup."

"I know, Fishlegs," said Astrid, looking down at the amber necklace from Hiccup still strung around her neck; the arrowhead from an encounter with the hunters still remained embedded in it. "I know."

 _I hope so_ , she added silently.

…

Hiccup leaned over Viper's neck, the black night sky glowering above him. The stars sparkled, and the faint light of the moon supplied Hiccup with just enough light to see his way around. He glanced back over his shoulder; he couldn't see Dragon's Edge from here, which meant they had flown a considerably long distance.

"Okay, Viper," Hiccup said, "let's see if the hunter shows up…"

Viper instantly screeched to an obedient halt and looked around warily, eyes scanning the area for any sign of intruders. Hiccup did the same, sword held in hand, shield over his back.

"I don't see anything," Hiccup said.

"Look again, I beseech," came a shout from behind, and Viper spun around. Knife occupied the sky behind them, mounted on a Whispering Death.

Of course.

It just figured that Hiccup's opponent would be riding a _Whispering Death_. But something was obviously wrong; a large shackle was chained around the Whispering Death's neck, and long chains attached to the shackle were looped around Knife's wrists.

Hiccup's glare darkened. Viper narrowed his eyes. "I'm here!" Hiccup shouted at Knife. "Now what do you want?"

"Did you not read the message?" said Knife, drawing two swords, one for each hand. "You must fight me."

"But what's the point of that?" said Hiccup. "Fighting? I'm not going to kill you, and Viggo isn't going to want you to kill me!"

Knife studied him curiously. "True," he said, "which is why it is not to the death. It is to the _point_ of death. The first one to pin their opponent to the point of no escaping wins the competition. The one pinned without hope of escaping will lose. Do we have a deal?"

"We have a deal," said Hiccup.

And the competition began. Knife swooped on his Whispering Death and made straight towards Hiccup, swords raised, chains yanking and forcing the dragon to do his will. Viper dove, and the Whispering Death soared over them.

"Okay, Viper," Hiccup said lowly, to ensure that Knife didn't hear him. "Let's go in low." He looked at the chains and the giant shackle looped around the Whispering Death's neck. "Hmm…I wonder..."

Viper swerved and shot in Knife's direction, towards the chained, unwilling Whispering Death and the hunter controlling him. Hiccup raised his sword, aiming straight for the chain, but Knife met his blow with one of his own swords, parrying with a _clash_. Viper then turned and swooped upwards, flying higher into the sky, giving Hiccup time to formulate a new plan.

"Okay, we need a new plan, and fast...erm...disarming!" Hiccup said, brightening up when he thought of something. "We're not going to be able to get near those chains until we disarm Knife. Let me think, let me think…" He looked down at the ocean beneath them; falling from this height would result in death, even if one fell into the water.

"Alright," he said, "let's circle back around. Whispering Deaths can shoot spines from any part of its body, right?"

Viper growled, which could have meant anything, but Hiccup didn't need the clarification.

"Well, let's see if we can't draw in its fire," Hiccup said. He glanced over his shoulder; Knife and the Whispering Death were right behind them, gaining on them fast.

"Viper, head for the sea stack!" Hiccup directed, pointing. "There's one up ahead!"

Viper roared his agreement and shot towards the sea stack. It stood towering from the water like a giant pillar, bigger than most sea stacks Hiccup was used to seeing.

"Okay," said Hiccup, "get close, but not too close." He looked over his shoulder again; Knife and the Whispering Death were getting closer. The Whispering Death raised his tail; Hiccup watched Stormfly enough to know what was about to happen.

"Viper, go down!" Hiccup shouted, and Viper dove, and not a second too late. The Whispering Death flicked its tail, and ten of its sharp spines embedded themselves into the sea stack, where Viper and Hiccup had been hovering moments before.

"Okay!" Hiccup said, sheathing his sword and taking up his Gronckle Iron shield. "Let's see if Knife wants a taste of his own medicine!" He yanked one of the Whispering Death spines from the side of the sea stack, switched his shield to crossbow mode, and fastened the spine into the launcher.

He took aim, straight for Knife's swords, and fired. Knife dodged this easily.

"Is that the best you can do, Hiccup Haddock?" said Knife tauntingly.

"Oooh, don't worry," said Hiccup, taking another spine and loading it into the crossbow. "I'm just getting started." He fired the second spine, and Knife yanked on the Whispering Death's chains to force it to move out of the way. The Lethal Viper growled harshly at Knife; he, clearly, was furious at seeing another dragon being treated this way, as was Hiccup.

"Let's aim for the chains," Hiccup said, loading another spine into the launcher, and he fired. Knife knocked away the spine with his sword, but this time, it caught him off balance.

Hiccup, seeing his chance, took another spine, loaded it as fast as he could, and fired at one of Knife's two swords. The spine slammed into the blade and knocked the weapon right out of his hand.

"Yes!" Hiccup said, loading another spine into the crossbow and taking aim. "One down, one to go!"

Knife looked at Hiccup through the mask, but didn't move against him, still trying to regain his balance. Hiccup took careful aim, pulled back the trigger, and fired. The second sword was knocked out of Knife's hand, and Knife, at the last second, clasped the Whispering Death's chains to keep from falling backwards off the dragon.

"Yes, it worked!" said Hiccup, and he strapped his shield to his back and drew his sword once again. "Now get me in close. Let's see if Gronckle Iron can't break those chains."

Viper nodded and raced forward, rage glowing in his red eyes. The Whispering Death recoiled backwards, and Knife was thrown off balance once again. Hiccup raised his sword.

Now was his chance.

He slashed long and hard, striking one of the two chains, and the chain _SNAPPED!_ The Whispering Death roared at Hiccup, but then, it realized what Hiccup was doing, and stopped. Knife stared down as the chain fell from the Whispering Death, into the ocean below.

"Come on, Viper!" Hiccup said. "Almost there! Circle back around! Break the second chain! Come on!"

Viper growled in agreement and swooped. Knife reached out at the last second and grabbed Hiccup's wrist, just before Hiccup snapped the second chain. Knife pulled Hiccup off Viper's back and dangled him over the side of the Whispering Death while Viper, with a roar when he realized what had happened, circled back around.

"It's a long way down, isn't it, Hiccup Haddock?" Knife taunted, while Hiccup struggled to break the chain with his sword. Knife leaned forward. "Looks like I have you pinned."

Hiccup imagined Knife smiling behind his mask.

But then, the Whispering Death suddenly roared in fury and thrashed; Knife lost his balance, and Hiccup, at the very last second, swiped with his sword. The Whispering Death's second chain broke.

The Whispering Death was free.

Knife released Hiccup's wrist when the Whispering Death thrashed again, and before Hiccup fell very far, the Lethal Viper swooped beneath and caught him. "I can't believe that actually worked," Hiccup said.

He turned to look. The Whispering Death, still fighting to get Knife off its back, flew straight towards the sea stack, shaking with all its might while Knife held on for dear life. Viper turned and shot after them.

The Whispering Death and Knife crash landed on the sea stack. Knife was thrown from the dragon's back, and the Whispering Death shook the loose chains off its body, struggling with the shackle around its neck.

Viper landed a few feet away, and Hiccup dismounted and charged over before Knife had a chance to stand. Hiccup thrust forward his sword, aiming it straight at Knife's chest.

"I've pinned you," said Hiccup. "You lose."

Behind them, Viper slashed one talon at the shackle around the Whispering Death's neck, and the last of the metal fell free. The Whispering Death roared in gratitude at Viper and Hiccup, and then, both the Lethal Viper and the Whispering Death turned and growled furiously at Knife.

"Yes," said Knife. "You win, Hiccup Haddock." From his belt, he pulled a scroll. "Your final task," said Knife, handing it over. Hiccup grabbed it and withdrew his sword, allowing Knife to stand.

"What is Viggo planning?" Hiccup demanded.

"Once you complete the third task," said Knife, "you will discover it. But for now, we must part ways. I will see you soon, Hiccup Haddock."

Hiccup glared at him. He thought about taking Knife back to Dragon's Edge and interrogating him for all he knew, but Hiccup knew Viggo wouldn't take kindly to that. Berk would be attacked if Hiccup sabotaged any of the tasks.

"Alright," Hiccup said, withdrawing his sword entirely and sheathing it at his belt. "Soon."

"Soon," confirmed Knife with a nod, and Hiccup turned, mounted Viper, and took to the sky. The Whispering Death turned and followed him away.

"Soon, Hiccup…" repeated Knife slowly. "Soon…"


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello friends! :D So, no shout-outs this chapter, BUT I STILL LOVE YOU GUYS! :D Enjoy chapter 6! :D**

* * *

Knife scaled the sea stack, climbing in reverse to get to the ocean below. In the ocean, a dragon hunter ship was anchored, waiting for his arrival, and Knife leapt the last few feet and landed on the ship's deck.

"Hiccup defeated me, Viggo," snarled Knife. "I told you, you can never underestimate him and his dragon riders. They're smarter than you'll ever be."

Viggo frowned, fingering the edge of his blade. "Knife," he said, "you should know better than to insult me in your position. After all...we had a deal."

Knife was glaring behind his mask, but said nothing.

"Did you deliver the scroll?" said Viggo, calm, cool state returning to him immediately, as if he had never been angered before, and Knife nodded coldly.

"I did," said Knife.

"Did you tell him it was his last task?" said Viggo.

"I did," said Knife.

"Good," said Viggo, "very good. He shall soon know that his trials have only just begun...but not yet. The time will come soon enough. Sooner than he thinks, I am sure."

Knife held out his hand expectantly. "I am ready for the next scroll, Viggo," he spat.

Viggo nodded, pulled another scroll from his satchel, and handed it forward. Knife took it, and then frowned. "But Viggo," said Knife, "you've already sealed this."

"Yes I have," said Viggo. "I am quite relieved you caught that, Knife. You are smarter than you look."

"But how am I supposed to read the task," said Knife, "if it's already sealed?"

"Simple," said Viggo. "You aren't going to read the task."

"But Viggo," drawled Knife, "how am I supposed to know what to do in the task, if I don't know what the task _is?"_

"You know what Hiccup's present task is," said Viggo coldly, "which is all that matters. The task on the scroll is for Hiccup and for Hiccup alone. You need not concern yourself in the matters of the next task. Prepare yourself for the task written in the most recent scroll, and hold onto the new scroll until the time comes."

Knife opened his mouth, changed his mind, and shut it again. "Yes, Viggo," he growled.

...

Toothless stood outside the Clubhouse on the platform, overlooking the ocean. Astrid stepped outside momentarily, looked up at the sky, and then headed back inside the Clubhouse again. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were throwing darts at a board, and Fishlegs was leaning over Bork's notebook while Snotlout tried to get Hookfang to torch a fish for him.

"I don't like it," Astrid said. "Hiccup should have been back by now. It's been hours since he left."

"Well, the competition wasn't exactly going to be _easy_ , was it?" said Snotlout. "Going against a dragon hunter...come on, Hookfang! Torch it, please?" He held the fish out expectantly, but Hookfang whacked it out of Snotlout's hands with his tail. "Hookfang!"

"What do you think, Fishlegs?" said Astrid.

"I'm really trying _not_ to think about it," said Fishlegs, never once looking up from his book. "Because the more I think about it, the more hysteric I get."

"Great. Very reassuring," Astrid grumbled. She glanced back outside, waited a heartbeat or two, and then turned back. "We're going after him," she said determinedly.

"Um, are you sure that's a good idea?" said Fishlegs nervously. "Hiccup wouldn't want us to go after him. He's want us safe."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure he wants to be safe _himself_ , too," said Astrid, putting a hand on her hip.

"I have an idea," said Tuffnut. "Why don't we just ask Hiccup what he wants us to do?"

"Oh, great idea," said Snotlout, and when he wasn't looking, Hookfang gobbled up Snotlout's fish. "And how do you propose we ask Hiccup, hmm?"

"Turn around," said Tuffnut.

Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Snotlout instantly turned around. Hiccup rode through the doors of the Clubhouse on the Lethal Viper; in one hand he held his sword, and in his other hand, a scroll.

"Hiccup!" said Astrid, charging over. "What took you so long?"

"Things got complicated," Hiccup said, sliding off Viper's back and sheathing his sword, "but we're good now."

Before anyone could ask him to elaborate, a Whispering Death poked its head through the door, milk-white eyes full of curious confusion. Snotlout, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, and Fishlegs went stiff.

"Hiccup," Snotlout whispered, "don't. Move. A muscle. Step away from the door, _slowly_ …"

"Why?" Hiccup said.

" _Whispering Death!"_ squeaked Snotlout in such a high-pitched voice it was hilarious. " _Behind you!"_

"Oh," said Hiccup, turning and glancing at the Whispering Death over his shoulder. "Yeah. Whispering Death. I couldn't be happier about it, Snotlout."

Snotlout swallowed hard. "Oh, Thor…" he whispered, and then, he fainted on the spot. Tuffnut and Ruffnut instantly leaned over him, snapping in his face and cheering, "Yoo-hoo!" in annoyingly-sing-song voices.

"You mean...you _trained_ a Whispering Death?" Fishlegs gasped excitedly, stepping forward. "Ooh, Hiccup, this is amazing!"

"Well, 'trained' is a strong word in this situation, Fishlegs," said Hiccup, watching as the Whispering Death pulled back to avoid Fishlegs' outstretched hand. "I freed him from Knife. He respects us, but I'm sure he'll want to be heading out on his own by now."

The Whispering Death nodded to confirm these words, bowed respectfully at Hiccup and Viper, and then turned and soared off, towards its home island. Toothless bumped Hiccup from behind, and Hiccup, laughing, turned and embraced the dragon around his neck.

"Yeah, I missed you too, Toothless," Hiccup said, and Toothless licked his face.

The Lethal Viper suddenly turned and glanced at the door, where the Whispering Death had disappeared. He looked back at Hiccup in question, and Hiccup nodded.

"Thank you for your help," Hiccup said. "You can go back to the wild if you want."

The Lethal Viper nodded, bowed, and flew out the door, leaving for Eel Island with a final flick of his tail. From the floor, Snotlout moaned and sat up, clutching his head.

"Oh, guys, you wouldn't believe it," groaned Snotlout, rubbing his temples. "I had this really weird dream...there was some psycho named Knife who gave Hiccup all these different 'tasks'...there was a Whispering Death, and a Lethal Viper thing, it was freak…"

He froze, noticing the scroll in Hiccup's hand, and then, he sighed.

"Not a dream," Snotlout muttered, flopping against the ground. "Great. Someone knock me out again."

"My pleasure!" said Tuffnut, raising his mace; Hiccup swung around and caught Tuffnut's arm before he could bring down the mace.

"No, stop," said Hiccup, prying the weapon from Tuffnut's hand and throwing it aside. "Come on, guys. I have to figure out what my final task is."

"Oh, right," said Tuffnut, and he, Ruffnut, Fishlegs, Astrid, and even Snotlout quickly gathered around him again. Hiccup broke the seal and unrolled the scroll, instantly reading the runes encrypted on it.

"This one is different," said Hiccup. "There's no beginning warning, or a note, or anything...it's just a riddle."

"Huh," said Fishlegs. "The last two times, the letters have always started out with that brooding, 'be careful, you will die' stuff."

"But not this time, for some reason," said Astrid, looking over Hiccup's shoulder. "What does the riddle say?"

Hiccup looked down, frowning.

"' _Destruction lies around every bend. On this next task take your dragon friend. And only then, on midday golden sands, wishes can become demands. Take with you your Night Fury; take with you your sword. Take no one else - give your solemn word. A fight to the end will seal your fate; and total war we shall once again create.'"_

Hiccup looked up, back down, and then back up. "What does that tell us?" he asked the group.

"It tells us," said Snotlout, pointing at the letter, "that someone really wanted all of this to rhyme. That riddle was _horrible!"_

"No, Snotlout!" said Hiccup. "Well, you're not wrong, but - listen! You're missing the point! This task is different! Something's different, I can feel it…"

"How is this different?" said Snotlout. "You go, fight Knife alone, come back, and bingo! We beat the dragon hunters again!"

"No...it's different," said Hiccup, but he said it as though to reassure himself. "Something isn't right."

"Well, we don't know what that is," said Astrid. "What we _do_ know is that on this task, Knife wants you to take Toothless with you, and he wants you to meet with him...where 'destruction lies around every bend', and where there are 'golden sands.'"

"Huh," said Fishlegs. "There's only one place I can think of like that, and that's Fireworm Island."

"Fireworm Island?" repeated Hiccup.

"But isn't that place in Berk's archipelago?" said Snotlout. "Why would Viggo want this Knife character to meet Hiccup so close to Berk?"

"I don't know," Hiccup said, "but whatever he's trying to do, whatever trap he's trying to lure us into…"

"You aren't going to follow through with it!" said Tuffnut excitedly.

"No, actually, I was going to say I _have_ to follow through with it," said Hiccup, deadpan. "Look, I don't want to as much as anyone else would, but you remember what they said in the first task. If I don't participate, or if I try and sabotage it, even once...they'll attack Berk in all their fury."

"We can take them!" said Snotlout, pounding his fist into his other palm.

" _Can_ we, Snotlout?" said Hiccup. _"Can we?"_

Snotlout's confidence instantly wavered.

"Listen," Hiccup said, setting down the scroll on the table and putting his head in his hands, "if there's one way - _one way_ \- to end this without...without there being a _slaughter_ , I have to try. This could be our only chance. I don't expect you guys to like it, but we don't have another choice. This is our last option. Whatever Viggo's planning...he's forced us to act. Let's see if we can't force Viggo to retreat."

He straightened up again. "Now," he said, "I don't know what Viggo plans on doing, or why all these tasks are here in the first place...but we'll figure it out someday soon. The Dragon Eye is still hidden, and Viggo has no idea where it is. That's where we're ahead of him!"

"Hey, he's right!" said Tuffnut excitedly, whacking Ruffnut on the shoulder in triumph. "What did I tell you?"

"And as long as the Dragon Eye is hidden," Hiccup said, "we will _always_ be one step ahead of Viggo." He rolled up the scroll again and tucked it away in his satchel. "The letter said midday," Hiccup said. "If I leave for Fireworm Island now with Toothless, we'll reach it by tomorrow morning. Always good to arrive at the scene before your opponent does, right?"

Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins exchanged concerned glances.

Hiccup sighed heavily. "Guys, I'm sorry," he said.

"We know, Hiccup," said Fishlegs. "And we get it. It's okay. Just...for Thor's sake, be careful, alright?"

"Yeah," said Tuffnut. "We really _don't_ want to deal with an angry Night Fury, _or_ Stoick the Vast if you don't come back alive."

"Yeah!" said Ruffnut. "So either come back alive, Dragon Boy, or don't come back at all!" She punched his shoulder; her way of saying goodbye without actually saying a word.

"Thanks, Ruff," said Hiccup, rubbing his bruised shoulder. "I'll see you all soon, I promise. But promise me no matter what happens, you won't leave this island, alright?"

"We promise, Hiccup," said Tuffnut, stepping forward. "I speak for everyone."

"Okay, can someone _else_ , besides Tuffnut, speak for everyone?" said Hiccup. "Last time Tuffnut promised to stay in the Clubhouse, it didn't end up very well."

"Well, _I_ promise," said Fishlegs. "And you can trust me."

"And I promise, too," said Astrid. "But Hiccup, if Viggo tries to double-cross you while you're there...send a Terror mail to Berk. Get help, alright? Don't be all stupid and heroic. You're more likely to get yourself killed that way."

"I'll remember that, Astrid," said Hiccup. "I'll see you all soon. Come on, Toothless..." He pulled himself onto Toothless' back, clicked his prosthetic into the foot pedal, and took to the sky, just as the moon began to sink beyond the horizon.


	7. Chapter 7

**SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER! :D I LOVE YOU GUYS! :D Shout-outs:**

 **ShadowSpirit020: Yes, the golden question: Who is Knife? You will discover soon. :D**

 **wikelia: Hahahahahaha! I'm glad you're enjoying it! :D We'll discover Knife's true identity pretty soon, I promise you that. :)**

 **Galaxy-Mitsuko-Pegasus: Yes. Things are beginning to get crazy for sure.**

 **HappyPup1: I can promise a lot of awesome fighting. XD**

 **Dimensional Girl: Sorry about all the tension. XD And it is a bit of a nod to "Total War". I'm glad someone caught that! :D We can definitely assume Viggo wants Hiccup dead. Let's find out what method he uses. :D**

 **Animals Rule: I can't see the image, but I can definitely just write something on my profile to show it. :)**

 **bella: Hahahaha, yeah, I love awesome!Hiccup, too (which is just about any Hiccup, XD). Go get Viggo, Hiccup! :D**

 **SnivyDragon: YES! Something big is DEFINITELY about to happen! :D AWW, NO, YOU'RE AWESOME! :D :D :D I STILL LOVE YOU ALL! :D**

 **LunarCatNinja: Definitely very high! :D**

* * *

Hiccup and Toothless soared over the ocean, over tumultuous waves and churning waters. The moon sank out of sight, and the first rays of sunlight stretched across the sky; the winter's air blew cold in the shadows, but when Toothless glided into the sunlight, it was pleasantly warm.

"Come on, Toothless, almost there," Hiccup said. "We have until midday to make it to Fireworm Island, or it's over."

Toothless growled in acknowledgement and soared onwards, wings pounding against the early morning sky.

…

Ruffnut and Tuffnut paced back and forth in front of their hut on Dragon's Edge, Barf and Belch watching them in confusion. "This is stupid," muttered Ruffnut, kicking a stone off the wooden platform and into the ocean below. "Why does Hiccup get to do all the dangerous stuff?"

"I know, right?" said Tuffnut, crossing his arms. "He's the one who gets kidnapped by dragon hunters, targeted by Dagur, Viggo, Ryker, and now this _Knife_ character. And now he gets to go to Fireworm Island, which has to be the most destructive island in the archipelago! Come _on!"_

"It's definitely not fair," grumped Ruffnut. "I mean, seriously. Hiccup gets to do all the cool stuff while we wait here on boring Dragon's Edge and do _nothing!"_

Tuffnut glanced over at the ocean, and then, suddenly, he paused. "Um, Ruffnut," he said, "I don't think Dragon's Edge is going to be boring for much longer."

"And why not?" demanded Ruffnut, looking towards the water, and then, suddenly, she frowned and gasped. "Oh no," she whispered. "Are those... _ships?"_

"I think they are," said Tuffnut. "Come on, we have to go tell Astrid."

The twins turned and raced off. The Berserker and dragon hunter ships approached startlingly quickly.

…

"ASTRID!" shouted Tuffnut and Ruffnut in unison, barreling into the Clubhouse. Astrid, Fishlegs, and Snotlout were present, Snotlout sharpening his sword with a piece of flint while Fishlegs read Bork's notes and Astrid stared at the wall. She, Fishlegs, and Snotlout turned their heads; Ruffnut and Tuffnut tripped over each other and landed in a heap on the floor.

"What?" said Astrid. "Look, if you guys burnt down your hut again, that's your problem. We're not helping you again."

"It's not that!" panted Tuffnut, getting to his feet and yanking Ruffnut to a stand beside him. "There...there're...war...war ships! Approaching from the...the...erm…" He pointed out the ajar door. " _That_ general direction!"

"What!?" Astrid yelled, and she raced out the door, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins following in her wake. Astrid took out her spyglass and raised it; there were definitely ships approaching.

And there were a lot of them, at that.

"How many, Astrid?" said Fishlegs. "Is it Dagur or Viggo?"

Astrid swallowed hard and handed him the skyglass. "It's both," said Astrid. "Dagur, and Viggo. And...it looks like they brought their entire fleets."

Fishlegs raised the spyglass momentarily before lowering it again. "Oh no…" he whispered. "This is bad, this is bad...oh Thor…"

"Keep your helmet on, Fishface!" said Snotlout. "We've dealt with the hunters and Berserkers before!"

"We need to hurry," said Astrid. "We have roughly an hour before we're in range of their arrows and catapults. Ruffnut and Tuffnut, start setting up the defensive barricades. Fishlegs, Snotlout, make sure the Night Terrors and Changewings are in position."

"Got it," said Snotlout with a nod, and he ran off.

"I'm starting to think the dragon hunters lured Hiccup away for some reason," said Tuffnut, scratching his chin.

"It doesn't matter what their plan was," said Astrid sharply. "Hiccup can take care of himself...I hope...but what matters now is we defend the Edge until he gets back! They're here for the Dragon Eye, which is still hidden, which is good."

"Are you going to tell us where you hid the Dragon Eye _now?"_ said Tuffnut eagerly, rubbing his hands together.

Astrid frowned at him. "Go put up the barricades," she ordered flatly.

"Yes, Astrid," said Ruffnut and Tuffnut in unison, and they raced off.

Fishlegs approached her once everyone had left, twiddling his fingers. "This doesn't make sense," he said. "Why would Viggo lure Hiccup away to the Berkian archipelago, and _then_ attack? I would have thought Viggo would want to attack Hiccup _personally_."

"Me too," said Astrid. "Maybe Viggo thinks it'll be easier to take the Dragon Eye from the Edge if Hiccup was out of the picture."

Fishlegs swallowed nervously. "And is he right…?"

"No," said Astrid firmly, taking Fishlegs by the shoulders. "He's wrong. Go help Snotlout with the dragons. I'll take Stormfly and wait here, to give you guys as much time as I can."

"Okay," said Fishlegs uncertainly, but he didn't look reassured. "Be careful, Astrid, alright?"

"You know I will be," said Astrid, "now go."

Fishlegs nodded and headed off. Astrid raised the spyglass to her eye once again and watched, anticipating the ships' arrivals. Stormfly stepped up beside her and growled at the approaching enemy ships.

They weren't too far away now...

…

Toothless touched down on the sandy shores of Fireworm Island, just as the sun rose directly above them, indicating midday. Hiccup leapt off Toothless' back and drew his sword, looking around warily.

There was no sign of Knife. No sign of attack. No sign that there would be a fight at all.

Hiccup straightened up. "Huh," he said, and then, he called, "I'm here, Knife!" as loudly as he dared without attracting the attention of nearby Fireworms.

"I know you are," said Knife, and he stepped from behind a boulder, sword raised. "I was beginning to think you had forgotten about our little agreement. I was wondering whether or not you were coming."

"Well, I came," Hiccup said. "Now tell me. Why are we doing this? Why all these tasks? What is Viggo planning?"

"I am not allowed to tell you," said Knife.

"Why not?" said Hiccup. "Who are you, really? A Henchman? An ally? A Berserker? Hunter? Who are you behind that mask?"

"I am not allowed to tell you," repeated Knife like a broken record.

"Yeah, right," said Hiccup. "That's what I thought. You're forced to bend to Viggo's will, aren't you? Somehow, you're forced. I don't know how, but you are."

"Enough!" said Knife, raising his sword. "Today, we fight for the final task! Moreover, the final task you will be attending with _me_. Succeed, and you will move on, whilst I step back and let Viggo finish the game."

"Why?" said Hiccup. "Does Viggo not need you after this? He's using you, Knife. You know he is, don't try to deny it."

Knife remained silent and still, refusing to answer the questions, mask still hiding any of his facial features. "Tell your dragon," said Knife, "to back down during the fight. You must promise he will not interfere during the competition."

Toothless snarled, teeth unsheathed, clearly giving his own answer, but Hiccup stepped in. "Hold back, Toothless," Hiccup said, and Toothless pouted. "No, I'm serious, bud. Hold back." Hiccup glanced at Knife. "He's not going to kill me."

Knife swung his sword. "I'm waiting, Hiccup," said Knife.

Hiccup straightened up and stepped forward again, sword drawn, shield strapped to his back. "Knife," Hiccup said, "if you tell me who you really are, we can stop this. I can help you defeat the dragon hunters."

"No you can't," said Knife. "If I tell you who I am, and Viggo discovers I did, bad things will happen. Not only to me, but to others as well."

"So you _are_ being bribed," said Hiccup.

Knife raised his sword and charged. Hiccup parried the first blow easily; Toothless watched on, looking ready to pounce at any given moment. Knife swung his sword, and Hiccup met the blow, twisted his wrist, and stepped back again.

"You aren't doing it out of your own free will," said Hiccup. "That much is plain. If you just tell me who you are, I can help you. I _want_ to help you."

"You don't understand," said Knife.

"Then help me understand," said Hiccup.

"I _can't!"_ said Knife, and he raised his sword again. Hiccup met the blow as he had before, reeled back, and paused, sword poised to strike. Knife circled him, and Hiccup circled back, like two wolves waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Your voice," Hiccup said, and Knife froze. "I can't recognize it, but for some reason it sounds...somewhat familiar. Have we met?"

Knife raised his sword again, and Hiccup met the blow, once, twice, and then, a third time. Knife was clearly becoming furious; that, or he was desperate to get Hiccup to stop talking, so he wouldn't have to answer to all these questions.

"Stop asking questions!" snapped Knife. "Fight me!"

"I don't _want_ to fight you!" said Hiccup, and when Knife arched his sword over his head, Hiccup met the blow with a parry and leapt backwards out of grasp. "I don't _need_ to fight you!"

"Yes you do!" shouted Knife, poising his weapon to strike again. "Even if you refuse, I cannot! Viggo has threatened me! I cannot refuse him no matter how badly I want to, or people will die!"

"Viggo never has to know you refused him!" said Hiccup desperately; Knife swung the sword, and Hiccup met the blow again. "You can tell me what he's planning, who you really are, and we'll move on and pretend we didn't tell each other anything!"

"It is not that simple!" said Knife.

"But it could be!" said Hiccup.

Knife raised the sword. Hiccup met the blow, but this time, with a quick twist of his wrist, he disarmed Knife. Knife's sword flew out of his hand and hit the ground nearby; when Knife made to race towards it, Toothless knocked the weapon back further with his tail, and Hiccup tackled Knife to the ground to ensure he didn't try to escape.

"Who are you, Knife?" Hiccup asked threateningly.

Knife didn't answer, and Hiccup only had one other option.

He grabbed Knife's mask and yanked it off his head.

Hiccup had been expecting a lot of things.

But the one thing he hadn't counted on was who was actually behind the mask.

Long black hair spilled over Knife's shoulders, and two green eyes blinked dazedly up at Hiccup, full of horror, fear, and most of all, sorrow.

Hiccup's eyes went wide.

"Heather?" Hiccup whispered.

The girl - not boy - beneath him swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry, Hiccup," Heather whispered, her voice no longer muffled and indistinguishable by the mask. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to, I didn't mean to - Viggo threatened me, he said he would kill my brother if I didn't-"

"Heather!" Hiccup said, so thrilled to see her again that for a few moments he forgot the conditions on which he was seeing her. He quickly got off her and pulled her to her feet. "Where have you been? We looked for you all over the place!"

Heather looked at the ground and shut her eyes tightly. "Viggo…" she whispered. "Viggo kidnapped me...he has Dagur, I didn't have a choice...Hiccup, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry…"

"It's okay, Heather," Hiccup said. "I know you didn't have a choice…"

"Dagur doesn't even know," Heather said desperately. "I didn't want to do it! I wanted to tell Dagur to leave, to get away from Viggo, but...but...Viggo said he'd kill Dagur if I told him…"

"I understand, Heather," said Hiccup, "you didn't have a choice. You were protecting your family. I would have done the same thing-"

"NO YOU WOULDN'T HAVE!" shouted Heather. "You don't understand what I did, Hiccup! You _don't!_ I betrayed you!"

"What?" Hiccup said. "How...how did you betray us?"

"My job was to distract you," said Heather pleadingly, desperately, as though she hated herself for what she had done. "To keep you away from the Edge so Viggo could attack…"

"The Dragon Eye is hidden, Heather," said Hiccup. "Viggo can't get to it."

"He doesn't want the Dragon Eye, Hiccup!" said Heather. "Don't you see? This entire thing was never about the Dragon Eye! He's going after the other riders to use them as bargaining chips _for_ the Dragon Eye! He's probably attacking the Edge as we speak!"

Hiccup stepped backwards, trying to take this in. "Oh no…" he whispered. "It was a trap. All of this…"

"I'm sorry," Heather said. "Please, you have to believe me-"

"I do, Heather," Hiccup said. "I know you would never betray us. I understand. Come on, we have to get back to the Edge. You can ride with me on Toothless."

Heather swallowed thickly. "We have to hurry," she said.

"Right," said Hiccup. "Come on, let's go!"


	8. Chapter 8

**FINAL CHAPTER, GUYS, AND THEN, WE CAN GET ON TO THE SEASON FINALE! GOSH I AM SO EXCITED! :D :D :D Shout-outs:**

 **ShadowSpirit020: Hahahahaha, threw a curve at'cha! XD**

 **wikelia: Go Heather! :D**

 **Galaxy-Mitsuko-Pegasus: Yeah...we'll just have to see what happens! :D**

 **HappyPup1: CAAALLLLEEEDDDD IIIITTTTT! :D :D :D**

 **Dimensional Girl: Weeeellll...probably. XD**

 **bella: YES YES YES! GO HEATHER! :D :D :D**

 **MoonTheNightWing: You called it! :D**

 **midnightsky0612: Yes! You knew it! :D**

 **SnivyDragon: You totally called it! Heather! :D And thanks! Dagur, Knife...it was completely intentional. :D THE DRAGON RIDERS WILL NOT BE DEFEATED! THEY WILL FIGHT TO VICTORY! Hopefully...XD**

 **LunarCatNinja: We shall see. ;)**

 **1 Fan: Yeah, sorry, cliffhanger!**

 **DragonRobotkid676: I have updated! :D**

 **dilloncoll: Yes. That it does. :)**

* * *

Toothless shot back over the ocean. The sun was already setting. Heather sat behind Hiccup, arms wrapped around his waist to keep herself from flying off Toothless' back. The Night Fury was moving so fast, shooting through the sky with the speed of an arrow. It seemed impossible she hadn't fallen off yet.

"I'm sorry, Hiccup!" Heather said for the utmost time, guilt threatening to drown her. "Please, I'm so sorry-"

"You can explain it later, Heather," said Hiccup, "I trust you, but right now we need to get back to the Edge, before it's too late!"

Heather fell silent, though reluctantly. She felt horrible.

"Come on, Toothless, faster!" Hiccup pushed, and Toothless narrowed his eyes in determination and sped onwards, faster than what seemed possible.

…

"These are the greatest traps yet!" said Tuffnut, tying one rope between two trees for the attackers to trip over on their way to the forest.

"I know, right?" said Ruffnut. "Our finest workmanship, if I do say so myself. With all these boobytraps wrecking this forest, it'll only be a matter of time before those Berserkers and hunters stumble into them! Victory will be ours!"

Tuffnut, back turned to Ruffnut, smiled. "I second that, sister," he said. Unbeknownst to him, Ruffnut was suddenly grabbed from behind by two Berserkers; a hand clamped down over her mouth to keep her from calling out.

"Eh, I don't know," said Tuffnut, shrugging. "You know, I still think the best one was that prank we played on Hiccup last Loki Day, you know, where we built a Boar Pit in the middle of his living room...that was terrific."

When Ruffnut didn't answer, Tuffnut frowned. "Sis?" he said, spinning around, but the instant he did, two dragon hunter soldiers leapt out, seized him from behind, and dragged him away, towards their ships docked on the shores of the Edge.

…

"Come on, Toothless, come on, Toothless!" Hiccup chanted, more to himself than anything, but Toothless was already flying as fast as was possible. Heather clung to Hiccup, unable to do anything else, guilt clawing at her heart.

"Hiccup, we're not going to make it!" she said. "Viggo and his men were already nearly there when we started fighting! It's too late!"

"We'll make it!" Hiccup said back, but even he wasn't sure. "Come on, please make it, _please make it_ …"

…

Snotlout rode Hookfang towards the hastily approaching ships. "Hookfang, annihilate!" demanded Snotlout, pointing frantically down at the ship, and Hookfang instantly lit himself on fire and roared in fury. He did a perfect wing blast, pushing fire towards the nearest ship, and the sail and deck caught fire instantly.

"YEAH!" cheered Snotlout, pumping his fist into the air. "Snotlout, Snotlout, oy, oy, oy!" Hookfang growled at him. "Okay, fine! Hookfang, Hookfang, oy, oy, oy!" Hookfang roared in content and swooped back around, ready to take out the next nearest ship.

But at the last second, a large catapult bola launcher was shot up, and though Hookfang dodged the first one, he ran right into a second one. With a furious roar, Hookfang hit the decks of the ships, scales still ablaze, though even the fire couldn't burn through the dragon-proof chains of the bola.

Snotlout leapt to his feet and drew his sword, but he, like Hookfang, was still trapped in the net, surrounded by dragon hunters and Berserkers. He swallowed hard.

"Um...okay…" he said. "This is definitely not good…"

…

Toothless shot even faster over the water, wings pounding. The ocean churned beneath them; a Thunderdrum leapt from it unexpectedly, and before Heather could even shout, "Hiccup, look out!", Hiccup had already switched gears on Toothless' tailfin, and Toothless barrel rolled out of the way.

"Almost there," Hiccup whispered. "We're almost there...just a little further now…" He narrowed his eyes. They would get to the Edge before it was too late. They had to. Hiccup didn't know what would happen if he didn't…

…

"I can't find the twins anywhere!" said Fishlegs urgently, rushing towards Astrid frantically. Astrid was just preparing to mount Stormfly when he ran up, waving his hands over his head to get her attention.

"And what about Snotlout?" said Astrid, turning to face Fishlegs.

"They shot him down!" said Fishlegs desperately. "They have him and Hookfang, and I can bet they have the twins, Barf, and Belch, too! What do we do, Astrid? _What do we do!?"_

"Fishlegs, would you calm down!?" Astrid said. "I can't think when you're panicking! We have to go try and free the riders from the hunters…"

"How!?" shrieked Fishlegs. " _How!?_ They have their entire fleet with them! It's impossible to know what's going to happen if we try and get the others out!"

"The alternative is leaving them at the hunter's hands," said Astrid, leaping onto Stormfly's back, "and that's something we're not going to happen. Hiccup would go after them in a heartbeat, and we're going to do the same. Mount up, Fishlegs! Let's go!" Stormfly spread her wings and took off, and Fishlegs had no choice but to get on Meatlug's back and follow her.

Flaming rocks flew up at them, and Astrid and Fishlegs dodged; the catapult boulders smashed into the Edge's forest, toppling down trees and setting them ablaze. The Changewings and Night Terrors, who had been lurking in the forest, shot into the air and fled for the hills in retreat, just as Fishlegs had told them to do if it got too dangerous.

"Stormfly, spine shot!" Astrid demanded, and Stormfly flicked her tail; the Nadder's spines sliced through the fabric of the sail, and the ship was halted, but not sunk.

"Meatlug, spew!" called Fishlegs, but that was as far as he got. Three dragon-proof metal bolas shot up at him and Meatlug, and before Meatlug had the chance to dodge, she and Fishlegs were captured in one of the nets and crash-landed on the deck of the ship.

"Fishlegs!" Astrid shouted, but was forced to swerve out of the way - more bolas, arrows, and spears were thrown up at her, trying to knock her down. "Come on, Stormfly! Abort! Turn back!"

But it was too late to turn back.

Viggo stepped up, aimed his net-shooting catapult, and fired it up at Astrid and Stormfly. The net captured Stormfly and Astrid within it, and with Stormfly's wings pinned to her sides, the dragon couldn't avoid what happened next.

They fell towards the ocean, landing on the deck of one of Viggo's many ships. Astrid instantly stood up and moved to draw her axe, but hunters approached her, crossbows aimed at her and Stormfly.

Astrid bared her teeth, but even she knew when to admit defeat.

They had lost.

...

"You'll never take us alive!" shouted Tuffnut, struggling against the ropes binding his arms to his sides. Ruffnut was being led beside him, both dragged away by dragon hunter soldiers.

"They _did_ just take us alive, Tuffnut," said Ruffnut, looking down at the ground.

"Oh," said Tuffnut. And then, "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE US DEAD!"

"I'd rather go dead than go alive," said Ruffnut. "I feel...horrible. What is this? Failure? Defeat?"

"I think it is," said Tuffnut. "Now I know why Hiccup felt so bad when Viggo outsmarted him...it seems so long ago…"

"It's over," said Ruffnut. "We lost."

…

"OH, YEAH!?" said Snotlout challengingly, raising his sword. "COME AT ME, BRO!"

A single sedating shot was fired at Hookfang, and instantly, the Monstrous Nightmare hit the ground, unconscious, its flaming scales flickering out. After this, Snotlout's confidence left him.

It was over.

…

"No! Not Meatlug!" Fishlegs cried as he was wrestled from the net and dragged away from Meatlug, who was still struggling under the weight of the chains. "Let her go, cowards!"

Fishlegs was bound by ropes and chains, helpless.

…

Astrid's axe was wrestled from her grip, and her hands were tied behind her back. Another rope was thrown over Stormfly to ensure she didn't escape.

"You _fools!"_ Astrid accused, struggling with all her might against the dragon hunters securing her. "I demand - _DEMAND -_ you release us, or you'll face the wrath of-"

"If you say 'Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third'," said Viggo coolly, approaching her, "I am going to have to disagree with you, my dear Astrid."

"Get away from me," Astrid spat in his face. "You have _no right_. You have no right to the Dragon Eye, and no right to attack us!"

"No right?" said Viggo calmly, and he laughed mirthlessly. "Astrid...we dragon hunters have the _only_ right. The Dragon Eye belongs to us. You stole it wrongly."

"If you so much as _touch us_ ," Astrid snarled, "Hiccup is going to kick your-"

"No he won't," said Viggo. "Not as long as I have you. You see, milady-"

"Don't you dare call me that," Astrid hissed

"Astrid," said Viggo, undaunted, "I will not rest until the Dragon Eye is back in our possession. And with you and your friends captured within our clutches...it won't be long before Hiccup Haddock comes running. He will hand deliver the Dragon Eye to me and my men, and in exchange, I will release you to him."

"He'll never come," Astrid growled. "He'll _never_ be beaten by _you_ , Viggo."

"That is where you're wrong," said Viggo. "He just was."

Astrid's glare darkened.

"Turn the ships around!" said Viggo, waving his hand towards his men. "We make for the base! And throw the prisoners, and their little dragons, into our prisons. We wouldn't want our bargaining chips to escape, would we?"

Astrid and the others were forced to their feet, and the dragon hunter and Berserker ships sailed west, into the light of the setting sun.

…

Toothless rounded a bend - night had fallen. Hiccup pushed the dragon forwards, onwards, head set on making it to the Edge, before it was too late.

"It's just around this corner, Toothless!" said Hiccup, pointing. "Come on...we can't be too late…"

Toothless rounded the corner.

Hiccup's heart skipped a beat.

Smoke rose from the forest, and charred trees laid toppled over. Catapult boulders were strewn about the place, bringing down platforms and trees alike. Ropes and nets were scattered on the ground. There wasn't a dragon, rider, or enemy ship in sight.

Hiccup stared, eyes wide, throat dry.

"No…" he whispered.

 **Author's Notes:**

 **So I'm just gonna end ya here on this nice cliffhanger, shall I? :) Well, despite the cliffhanger, I really hope you guys enjoyed Doomsday Part 1 and look forward to part 2, which will be up soon, I promise! :D**

 **Let me know what you thought of it, and I'll see you all soon!**

 **Cheers!**

 **-BeyondTheClouds777**


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